Yogi, Dancer, and Activist Leslie Salmon Jones went on a journey of healing to West Africa to find her roots. She not only came back with a newfound love for herself but with the foundations of new practice: Afro Flow Yoga®. Created in 2007 with her husband Jeff, Afro Flo blends yoga and meditation with dance movements from across the African Diaspora and creates an inclusive and diverse environment, free of any judgment for the Black community, and celebrates the beauty in diversity. (Additional original music by Jeff Jones)

TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is Afro Flow Yoga® and its mission?
• Leslie’s background in movement and how it set the foundation for her work today.
• The lack of positive images representing Black women while Leslie was growing up and the self-esteem issues she had as a response.
• How Leslie rebuilt her self-image and never turned back.
• Leslie’s experience in Canada versus the United States.
• Leslie’s mission is to bring together our roots and to celebrate the beauty and richness and brilliance genius of people from all walks of life.
• Leslie’s viral Reebok ad and how she became a positive body image.
• How Leslie met her husband Jeff and how their journey to West Africa was the catalyst to finding her roots, healing deep trauma, and eventually the creation of Afro Flow Yoga®.
• There is an invisibility of Black people in yoga, in leadership positions, and in teaching.
• In the patriarchal system and colonized system, there's having power over. And in the divine feminine system, there's doing power with collectively thinking about the circle.
• What Afro Flow Yoga® has done for the Black community.
• Many of the transformative movements happening to uproot the system that is very broken have been started by Black women.
• Feminine leadership really is about care, how we care and how we systemize care.
• Divine feminine wisdom will help us find harmony and balance with nature.
• The 4 V’s of the Omega Women’s Leadership Intensive.
• Leslie’s work in women’s leadership and her advice for facing your fears.
• Beauty comes in many forms.
• When you come into self-love you are a light for others as you just reveal the fullness of your nature.